Disclaimer: I do not own IT or any of the characters. That all belongs to the awesome and talented Stephen King. I only own my OC and other characters I make up along the way.

A/N: Here it is folks...the projector scene. O.O Have fun reading! The next chapter will include the Neibolt House... Dun...Dun...Dun...

I'm glad you guys are excited for the Stranger Things/IT crossover! :P I can't wait for guys to read it. I know I'm gonna have fun writing it.

"The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is." ―Terry Goodkind

Chapter 16: Seeing is believing

The group of friends all agreed to meet up at Bill's place―or more specifically his garage. The Denbrough boy phoned all of them that very morning saying he had important information he needed to share with them. Information despite him not telling them exactly what is was about right away, they all knew it was about that damn clown. However, even with the dread they were all feeling inside, they all gathered at said meeting place.

Gwen had been in a pretty bad mood that morning and that was something all seven friends could see. Especially Richie and Stan. Now the reason for her temperamental behavior was because she never did end up getting her necklace back from her mother. Although it was that same morning that escalated for mood. Her mother Maggie had finally confessed to her that she misplaced the necklace, saying she had no idea where it was now.

Needless to say Gwen had been pissed and beyond upset from hearing such confession. That silver Turtle necklace meant something to her and now it was gone.

Gwen should have fought harder, protested more against her mother for taking her necklace away in the first place. But she didn't...and now her source of comfort was lost. She had been so close to yelling at her mother for losing something she cared greatly for and she almost did so, but luckily Richie had been there to stop her from doing such a foolish thing.

Richie knew from personal experience that yelling at their parents (mainly at their mother) always ended in dire consequences. So he of course stopped Gwen before things got too messy. It was after when they left their house that Gwen thanked Richie for stopping her from almost doing a idiotic thing. And although she couldn't yell at her mother for losing her necklace, Gwen's anger didn't lessen. She, however, decided it would be best to just let her anger be shown through the facial expressions she would now be giving her mother.

Stan who was standing next to Gwen, gave her soft stare. As she was helping Mike close the garage door, Gwen made sure to him a single nod. Although it wasn't a verbal answer the curly haired boy took the response anyway. It was better than nothing.

Now that the garage door was closed, Bill stuck the last piece of the poster he had on the wall. He took a step back and made sure it was looking alright before walking back behind the projector. By now everyone else had either taken a seat or were standing in their own designated area. Eddie and Ben were sitting somewhat up front. Beverly sat behind Ben, closer to where Bill was standing. Mike was also behind the projector, standing next to Bill. Then finally, Gwen was sitting behind Eddie in between Richie and Stan. Her brother to her right and her curly haired friend to the left.

Bill quickly put in the slide that Ben had thankfully let him borrow. It had been the same one he had seen in his room all those weeks ago when they had gone over. Now thanks to Ben's slide and Bill's father Zack Denbrough's work, Bill had a bunch of old maps of Derry all over the house. One specific map of which allowed him to overlap with the slide Ben brought. And it was that very slide he was now showing to his friends. This is what would help find his brother Georgie (or so he thought). He noticed that they were all quietly staring at the map with puzzled and intrigued expressions.

"Look." Bill pointed to the map, finally ending the silence between them. "That's where G-G-Georgie disappeared." He announced staring intently at the specific part of the map. It read "Storm Drain" and there was a red X signifying such location. His sorrow filled eyes continued looking for the next dire spot. "There's th-th-the Ironworks." He pointed out to his friends before carrying on again. "The Black Spot." He said, his voice hardening a bit with such realization. "Everywhere IT happens, it's all c-c-connected by the sewers." He ardently informed his friends. He didn't dare say the clown's supposed name. To Bill this evil entity was just an IT. And he wanted to find IT to get Georgie back. All Bill wanted was to find his little brother and bring him back home.

"Oh my God." Gwen suddenly cried out. Her hands were now shaking from trepidation.

Everyone turned to look at her in concern. "What is it?" Richie hurriedly asked his older sister. He could see how affected she was due to her hands.

Gwen controlled her breathing. She took a hold of her hands and stopped them from shaking. She couldn't let her distressed emotions get the better of her again. She refused to lose it in front of her friends like she had when seeing Chase's article. Pushing down her consternation, she pointed to a specific part on the map. Glad her hands were stable enough to do so. Her voice now wavered just the slightest. "That's where they found Chase's body. After he..." She stopped talking unable to finish that sentence.

They had all turned to look at the map now. Such unexpected news hit them with a force. Bill especially. Despite the horrible realization, this just furthered the theory he had regarding IT.

"Do you think that..." Beverly quietly drawled. Although she hadn't finished her question, they knew what she was truly asking. Was IT the real reason why Chase died?

The Tozier girl neither nodded or shook her head. She instead glanced to give Beverly an unreadable expression. "Chase's death was ruled as a suicide." She reluctantly corrected. She felt immense sadness. Saying those words deeply hurt her. Even though she did not at all believe that, according to the adults in Derry (including the police), that was the truth...but then again the adults in Derry (as she knows now) aren't reliable or truthful as they appear to be.

"Do you truly b-b-believe that?" Bill earnestly asked her. "Because I-I don't."

Richie glanced at the map before alternating his gaze between Bill and his sister. He swiftly adjusted his glasses. "If that's true then that means..." He stopped talking when he saw how woebegone he sister now looked. It dawned on him how she was now really starting to believe what Bill was suggesting. That bothered him a bit. Gwen might have believed Bill for this reason, but did he? Richie had to admit it made sense. As he had told Stan all that while ago, he didn't think Chase's death was a suicide. Chase killing himself just didn't make any sense. So for him to have been killed by this clown entity (as weird as it sounded), it made perfect sense...but what good would it do to look into it? Now of all times. Chase was gone...dead. Richie could somewhat understand Bill's obsession to find Georgie (and even though deep down he knew Georgie was really gone) because technically no body was found, but unlike Georgie, Chase's body was discovered. There was a funeral...closure. Therefore Gwen needed to move forwards now, not backwards. From the side view, Richie could see Stan with a thoughtful expression, no doubt thinking the same thing he was.

"That the same thing that killed Chase is responsible for all the other missing kids." Mike concluded somberly, interrupting Richie's and Stan's thoughts. The interruption allowed for the bespectacled boy to gather himself once more.

"IT." Bill corrected firm. Not just to Mike but to the others as well. His eyes landed onto Gwen's again. His stare was soft, yet resolute. "Come on, G-G-Gwen. Really think a-a-about it. Why would C-C-Chase kill himself? And on the night you t-t-two were supposed to meet up. He l-l-liked you."

Bill's words sunk in. As the seconds passed it all started to make sense to her. Chase wouldn't kill himself just like that. He wasn't suicidal...he was full of life...he was happy. A new question lingered in her mind. A crucial one. "If that's true, why Chase?" Gwen asked, her voice cracking with emotion she could no longer hide. "Why him?"

"Why take G-G-Georgie?" Bill inquired sadly.

None of them had the heart to say what they were thinking...that maybe Georgie wasn't missing...that perhaps he was dead. Like Chase. Bill's determined attitude with finding his little brother though had them reeling back from their brutal honesty. They couldn't hurt him...not when he was adamant with this mission he had going on.

Bill pointed to the map again, getting back on track. "Everywhere IT happens, it's all connected by the sewer, and they all meet up at the―"

"The well house!" Ben exclaimed interrupting Bill. He was thoroughly surprised (and glad) that his solo research finally had a connection. He felt like his research had even more meaning since it had been connected with Bill's own findings.

Stan's heart went wild in his chest (and not in a good way) when noticing where exactly the well house was at. His eyes widen as he spoke out-loud to his friends. "It's in the house on Neibolt Street."

Richie scrunched up his nose. "You mean that creepy old house where all the junkies and hobos like to sleep?"

Gwen nodded her head while Beverly gave him a verbal response. The redhead shuddered as she looked at the map. "I hate that place. I always feel like it's watching me."

"I avoid that place like the damn plague." Gwen muttered. After she said this her attention was zeroed onto Eddie, who she now noticed was breathing heavily. With concerned eyes she watched him swiftly pull out the inhaler he had in his fanny pack and take a deep puff from it. That didn't falter his breathing or anxious filed expression he had on. Gwen gently put a hand on his shoulder hoping that would calm him...it didn't.

Eddie turned to look at her. His eyes full of fear. "That's where I saw it. That's where I saw the clown." He told not just Gwen, but to everyone else as well. His breathing once again was all over the place. Gwen gave his shoulder another gentle squeeze, and Eddie took another puff from his inhaler.

"That's w-w-where IT lives." Bill announced to his friends. Yet again, Eddie took another deep inhale. Gwen touch (as much as he was greatly appreciating) had not completely lowered his panic.

Ever the clean fanatic that he was, Stan found the idea of someone or something actually living there to be ludicrous. "I can't imagine anything ever wanting to live there."

After that comment, little Eddie Kaspbrak finally snapped. He hurriedly got up from where he was sitting (startling Gwen from the process and resulting the gentle hold she had on him to be broken), and turned to look at all his friends. "Can we stop talking about this?" He begged standing in front of the map now. "I...I can barely breathe. This is summer! We're kids! I can barely breathe." He shouted, feeling his breathing escalate near dangerous territory. "I'm...I'm having a fuckin' asthma attack." He began shaking his head. "I am not doing this!"

"Eddie..." Gwen softly called out his name. "Calm down, please." She along with the rest of them didn't like seeing him like this. None of them wanted the smaller boy to have a full blown asthma attack.

Eddie shook his head, feeling tears pool in his eyes as he stared at Gwen. "I-I- can't!" He cried out before turning around and ripped the map off the wall.

While everyone else stared at Eddie in shock, Bill stared at him with slight anger and annoyance. "What the hell? Put the map b-b-back!"

Eddie shook his head. "Mm-mm."

Out of nowhere the projector then began going off on its own. Eddie immediately scurried back to where Gwen and Richie and Stan were at. Ben and Beverly were severely confused on what going on. While both Bill and Mike, who were behind the projector not at all touching it, stared at the slide show in bemusement and wariness. The slide show was now staring to show different pictures of the Denbrough family.

"Uh, guys?" Gwen questioned as the pictures started to go by faster. Her heart ached when she noticed how most of the pictures were now of just Bill and Georgie. They both looked so happy in those photos that were being displayed. How have times changed (and not for the better). Georgie was now gone...and Bill was anything but happy.

As this occurred, Bill continued to stay in place, his expression faltering. "G-G-Georgie..." He whispered in forlorn.

The projector then focused on one single photo. It was one that had all the Denbrough family members. The projector started to zoom in on Georgie's once smiling face before it changed direction onto Bill's mother, Sharon. In the photo her hair was covering her face, and that alone had everyone on edge.

"Bill?" Stan inquired side glancing at said friend for some sort of explanation. However, there was no explanation that could be said as to why this was even happening.

"What the hell?" Gwen whispered as she noticed how in the photo Sharon's hair started to move on its own. They all let out horrified gasps when Bill's mother's face started to change into something else...something sinister looking.

It was the clown.

Gwen immediately jumped back from her seat. Her eyes wide from fear from looking at said clown again. Memories of the Tarman and the decomposed version of Patrick came back to haunt her. She felt her body grow cold from the maniacal smile the clown was now proudly displaying in the photo. That frightening smile...and those yellow eyes...eyes that appeared to be glowing in the photo. She absently reached for her necklace...only it wasn't there. Gwen let out a sound full of fear as she decided to back further away. She stopped backing up until she was huddled between Richie and Eddie. Both boys who were beyond terrified.

"What the fuck is that?! What the fuck is that?!" Richie questioned, severely startled at what he was (finally) seeing. Despite his questioning he knew exactly what this was now. This was IT...this was the clown that had been terrorizing his friends and sister. The IT that was responsible for making his sister go back into her depression. With this in mind, Richie grabbed a hold of both Eddie and Gwen when he saw how equally frightened they were. He made sure Gwen was in between them in order to make sure she was safe.

"I don't fuckin' know!" Eddie answered fearfully as he leaned against Gwen for support. The smaller boy hid his face against one of her shoulders.

Beverly who was beside Ben looked at the rest of them in panic. "Turn it off!"

As she was soothing Eddie, and hugging Richie from the side, Gwen alternated her gaze between Mike and Bill who were by the projector. "Kick that shit down! Kick it down!" She frantically shouted.

Mike did exactly that. He quickly kicked the projector to the garage floor. With the projector on the ground the slideshow was now slanted and the clown could now be seen sideways. The wicked smile the clown had on was no longer showing as the slideshow kept going on its own. The projector flickered three more times. By the third time the clown was nowhere to be seen.

None of them lowered their guard down. Eddie's head remained pressed against Gwen's shoulder as his heavy breathing continued and Richie's hold on his sister didn't lessen in the slightest.

All of sudden the lights went out again. This time they stayed off longer than before. The group of friends stayed quiet with only Eddie's breathing being heard in the dark eerie garage. And just when they thought they were in the clearing the lights turned on and the most frightening thing they've all ever seen (so far) popped out in front of them.

Everyone jumped back from such sight, including Gwen, making the hold Richie and Eddie had on her lessen.

The clown had returned, only this time ITs teeth were long and extra sharp. And ITs body was double the size from before. ITs smile was even wider and more threatening. And ITs eyes...Gwen saw how they were glowing yellow and how they were staring directly at her. She let out a scream as did everyone else. The Tozier girl panicked even more when she noticed how close the clown was to Stan.

"Stanley!" Gwen shouted before running towards him. Richie and the others were yelling her name as she did so. She knew this was dangerous and a stupid thing to do, but she didn't care. She needed to get to Stan. Her mind and heart were telling her so. With his heart hammering against his chest, Stan reached out for her hand and ran alongside her to where the others were at, bumping and hitting other things that were in the garage.

As Gwen and Stan were now holding each other, the Tozier girl saw how ITs eyes were glowing even more. IT looked furious. She could have sworn she even saw a hint of red in ITs eyes, but then ITs attention went onto Beverly...who was by herself leaning against the garage wall. IT released a cackling laugh before ITs giant form startled crawling towards the redhead.

No...No...Not Beverly!

With a now angered expression, Gwen carefully let go of Stan and then ran to where Beverly was at. The others once again screamed her name as she did so (Richie's being the loudest), but Gwen disregard their worry. Just like with Stan, she needed to help Beverly. She took a protective stance in front of her red haired friend just as the clown was about to grab her. She felt the faintest touch from the clown on her face when she let out the loudest yell she could muster.

"Get away!"

Now Gwen didn't know if it had been because of herself (if she had on her necklace she would have noticed how warm it would had gotten due to her bravery) or because Ben managed to get the garage door open, but any thought she had concerning that went away as soon as the light from the outside invaded the garage, making the clown disappear from their sights.

The clown was now gone and it appeared as if IT hadn't been there at all.

Gwen got a hold of herself and put her hands on Beverly's shoulders. "Are you okay?" She asked her.

Beverly nodded her head. "Yeah." She whispered before she pulled Gwen into hug. The older girl just saved her. How she could ever repay her? Beverly had no idea. But she would be forever grateful that was for sure. "Thank you." She said as Gwen returned the hug.

Gwen didn't say anything back to her, just continued the hug. She knew she did the right thing with protecting Beverly, just like with Stan. When they ended their hug, Beverly went to where the others were standing, and she went to thank Ben for opening the garage door before she enveloped Bill in a hug.

As they hugged, Ben watched with a dejected expression but his attention was soon captured by Gwen. The older girl called out his name before she brought him into a hug. Ben was thrown back by such affection but had no problem returning the hug. When Gwen pulled back she faced the rest of her friends, and she became sheepish when she saw the expression Richie had on.

"Are you okay, Richie?" Gwen sheepishly asked her younger brother. Beside his expression, Gwen could feel the concern and anger radiating off of him.

Richie threw his hands out and scoffed. "Am I okay?" He repeated, exasperated. "Gwen, you were facing IT! The clown could have gotten ITs fuckin' hands on you!"

Gwen felt terrible for making Richie feel this way, but she did that for a good reason. She saved her friends. She gave Richie an apologetic expression, but she didn't apologize aloud. "But IT didn't." She nonchalantly insisted. "I'm fine."

Before Richie was able to retort something back to her, Eddie's frantic voice interrupted him. "IT saw us!" He said holding his inhaler against his chest. "IT knows where we are!"

"IT always did." Bill said with a now steady expression. He passed his friends and went to where their bikes were at. He picked up his bike and turned to face them. "S-S-So let's go."

Ben got a confused look on his face. "Go? Go where?"

"Neibolt." Bill answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "That's where G-G-Georgie is."

Stan looked at him as if he had grown two heads. Was he for real? "After that?" He just faced the clown and was saved by Gwen...why would he want to come face to face with IT again? His life wasn't the only one he was concerned for. Gwen could have been hurt when reaching out to him...or worse. He shook his head, not wanting to think the worst. She was thankfully fine. If she had gotten hurt because of him, he would have never forgiven himself.

"Yeah...it's summer." Richie protested lowly. "We should be outside."

Bill's expression hardened. "If you say it's s-s-summer one more f-f-fuckin' time." He took a deep breath before he looked at Gwen. Out of all of them, the older girl looked the most determined to go. "G-G-Gwen?" He softly called out her name.

Gwen didn't say anything, just gave him a firm nod. Her desperate need to stay from Neibolt had gone away and all she wanted to do now was go to said old house and confront this evil entity.

Bill took her response and hopped onto his bike Silver before riding off. Gwen walked away from her friends and reached for her own bike, ready to follow behind Bill. As she got on, Richie stepped forward, flabbergasted.

"Gwen, you can't be serious?!" He fervently asked his sister.

Gwen glanced at her younger brother. Her dark eyes filled with determination. "Richie, I have to do this. If this clown really did kill Chase and all those other missing kids, I have to stop IT."

From beside Richie, Stan's eyes became soft. "Gwen, don't go." The curly haired boy begged her. The Tozier girl locked eyes with him. For a brief moment there it seemed like she would give in and stay with him and the others, but then she shook her head.

"I'm sorry." She whispered before finally taking off on her bike to follow Bill's path.

"Gwen!" Richie shouted. "Come back!" When she was no longer in his sights he let out a curse. "Fuck."

Despite knowing about the danger at the Neibolt House, the Tozier boy wasted no time getting on his own bike. The others saw this and quickly copied his actions. They weren't about to let their friends do something beyond idiotic, not after what just happened in Bill's garage.

Richie especially wasn't about to let his sister risk her life again because of some damn eerie looking clown. Not on his watch.